How do you repel a guy without being totally rude about it? I feel like such a shrew, but this guy at the library keeps talking to me and it's driving me nuts!

Dear Random Guy in the Library,

Just because we sit next to each other at the only two computers available does not mean that we're friends.

It doesn't signify my permission to make me suffer through your endless inane conversation and trips down crazy lane.

I don't know what gave you the impression that we're friends. I never encouraged it, that's for sure.

How nice for you that you overheard the librarian refer to me by name, but if I wanted you to address me by name, I'd've introduced myself. And btw, doesn't it strike you as telling that I never once struck up a conversation of my own accord? Does it suggest that perhaps I had no interest in making your acquaintace?

And also, you idiot, if you're that sold on the idea that we're buds, why don't I know your name? Not that I want to, but doesn't that fact suggest that something's amiss? I never cared to ask. Though if you were more socially aware, maybe you'd've told me before now, you twit. That's what normal people would do.

But I guess you're not exactly conversant with normality. Cackling at your computer and muttering to yourself, that's just disturbing, okay? It worries me. I wonder if you're going off the deep end when you pull that crazy act.

Though I'd've rathered you kept on with that instead of always talking to me when I clearly have better things to do than waste my time, humoring you and your idiosyncracies.

I don't want tell you about my background [but no, neither I nor my parents are from the Middle East].

I don't need you to enlighten me on Marxist theory, nor do I want you to read me poetry, you pretentious prat. [That privilege is reserved for Alan Rickman. *youtubes blissfully*]

I don't want to tell you about what I'm doing with my life, or whether I have a job, or what kind of music I listen to. [And no, I've never heard Led Zeppelin]

It's none of your damn business.

I really don't want you to lean in close and eyeball my chest to ask who those people are, and I don't want to defend my choice of television show to you, either.

I don't care if the circle is the symbol of your family, although, wow, congrats for originality.

I don't care if your girlfriend wrote to you the other day, though I admit, I'm glad to hear she's returning to the country. Hopefully this means you're going to turn off your fixation on me and give her your entire and undivided attention. Please say that's so.

I must also admit, I am glad you've given up on wearing that leather jacket. Maybe that was the source of the unbearable stench you made me endure for an hour or so at the library.

So, ground rules.

From now on, don't say hello to me. Don't greet me on the bus or sit near me and try to carry on a conversation. Don't blather on at me for twenty minutes and expect me to care.

And maybe take a course in body language and non-verbal cues. Just because I'm not openly rude to you doesn't mean I'm encouraging you.

Doesn't the fact that I barely look at you, that I restrict myself to one-syllable answers where possible, that I never contribute much to the conversation and that I don't greet or farewell you tell you anything at all? Most people would see this as a series of clues indicating how unenthusiastic I am about maintaing any kind of verbal interaction with you, but no, you're oblivious!

Are you messing with me? Is this some bizarre social experiment, and I'm your labrat? Argh! Whatever. I honestly don't want to know anything more about you.

Just stop talking to me.

No love, Me.﻿----

RL issues:

I've never kept much of a division between my LJ and my real life. My identity is so interwined with the life I lead on the internet that trying to keep the two apart would be a headache. I know some people fiercely guard their identities in case their journals are exposed and it undermines their credibility in their everyday lives, but that never even occurred to me, and it's probably a little to worry about it now. [It'll suck if I want to run for Prime Minister in the future, lol, and something I said here torpedoes my campaign]

I considered the issue of online life affecting RL with a whole new perspective after Age columnist Catherine Deveny was fired because of some offensive and tasteless tweets she posted.

I don't particularly like what she had to say, especially of 11 year old Bindi Irwin ['I do so hope she gets laid', wtf?] but getting fired over it? I seem to be the only one that sees it as a huge over-reaction.

Yes, her tweets were repulsive, but I don't know that the average person is going to say, 'Oh, I'm boycotting the Age now because one of their columnists- apparently a comedian, from whom I'd expect a certain amount of vulgarity anyway- tweeted something rather offensive in what seems to be a bid for attention'.

Because come on, who'd seriously hold that kind of opinion anyway? It's clearly meant to draw attention and cause comment. Too bad for her it got her fired in the end.

So basically, if I'm going to say something really appalling, I better make damn sure it gets f-locked. None of you would tell on me, would you? :P﻿-

Crazy Cabbie

While the public's shredding Catherine Deveny to bits for her tacky tweets, it's amazing to me that there's an equal amount of support for the taxi driver that had a 'brain snap' that resulting in him chasing a car of teens, ramming it once it blew a tire and then getting out to smash it to bits with a change dispenser and tyre lever.

Seriously, there's pages of letters in the newspaper hailing him a hero! WTF?!

I have issues with vigilantes, [and not entirely because had Threshold been renewed for a second season, Molly was apparently going to be paired up with the vigilante dude rather than Cavanaugh, epic fail!] and it bugs me that this guy's the object of adulation in the community. Even the people that disagree with his actions still seem to admire his gumption and wish they'd damned the consequences and done the same in their time. Ugh!

So, a bunch of kids throw eggs at his taxi- that's annoying, I get someone being pissed off about that. But to embark on a high-speed chase after them through red lights? Would anyone have the slightest sympathy for this guy if he'd accidentally mowed over a granny or a mother with her pram or a bunch of school-kids? This kind of reckless behavior could've caused serious injury or death. It's super lucky that the teens were able to keep control of their car while fleeing, and their the busted tire didn't send them hurtling into other cars, and that the cabbie's rage black-out didn't put other vehicles or pedestrians at risk.

The article says that at least one of the kids was in the car when he rammed into it, and the impact threw him 3m into the air- the cabbie's lucky that kid didn't end up in hospital. Yes, it's pathetic and juvenile what they did, but I don't think they deserved to have their lives put at risk because of a simple egging!

Public opinion is putting all the blame on the kids, and it's like they're holding these kids responsible for all the vandalism and bashings and murders committed by depraved youths that have ever occurred. Saying good on the cabbie for scaring the crap out of them, maybe it'll set them straight- if these were the kids that went around beating up grannies and such, heck, maybe I'd quietly approve, but they just egged his car, FFS, proportional response, please!

Considering the way our courts run, where a father gets a stricter penalty for punching out his daughter's rapist than the rapist himself received, I really hope this guy doesn't get off scot-free, he needs to learn there are consequences for his actions and that he's nowhere near being a bloody hero, that moron.﻿-

Ban the Burqua?

The main camps of opinion seem to be:

a) Do it now before someone uses the burqua to conceal a bomb and people get hurt or killed.

b) It's hardly like we have burqa-clad gangs roaming the country, whereas thugs in trackies and hoodies seem to make a weekly appearance on Crime Stoppers- should we ban those, too?

c) The burquas are better at Hungry Jack's.*gigglesnort* Irreverent, but hee...!

I'm against it. I mean, what a knee-jerk reaction. Yes, let's infringe on people's rights for something that might happen, that has never happened here before and might never happen at all. I get people are afraid, it's no surprise considering the terrorism-aware society we live in these days, and politicians want to look pro-active, but banning people from wearing an item of clothing is way too drastic for my tastes. It's a slippery slope, once they go there, I don't want to consider what they might legislate next. [Although banning girls and especially old women from wearing leggings as pants would definitely be appreciated- my eyes, oh god, my innocent eyes!]

But the thing is, just as many people for the ban aren't agreeing on national security grounds, they're for it because they see the burqa as the symbol of female oppression and want to liberate them from the attitude of male subjation that rules their culture.

'k, fair enough, people don't like the idea of women being regarded as inferior, good for you. But simply banning the burqua isn't going ot make a hell of a lot of difference. Probably that just means the women are going to be under virtual house arrest, either because the men won't let them shame their family or whatever by revealing their form outside, or because the women are uneasy with being forced to give up something that's defined their self-image their entire lives.

Look, I'm not saying I think it's a good thing, I'd hate having to wear one myself, but I'm not going to impose my views on them, I'm not going to say, 'Oh, I believe 100% that the burqua is evil and those women will be relieved to see it go and burn them in massive bonfires and celebrate their newfound independence and liberation, whoo!' I'm not from that culture, how can I possibly understand how the women are going to feel? Maybe some of them will be relieved at the official dispensation to give those things up, but...I can also see that some of them might not be able to figure out what to do after losing something so integral to their identity.

I'm not saying this is the same thing, but I had a kind of culture shock coming from Fiji to Australia. Back there, school was all about work, work, work and very little fun. We all took pride in studying and achieving our best, and respected our teachers and never, ever cheeked them. [Especially Mrs Karan, who had no patience for idiots and would wallop you over the head for not keeping up]

Then I move to Australia and all of a sudden, school's not about study, god, no, it's about friends and socializing and parties! I was totally wrong-footed, because all of a sudden, the work ethic I had developed, the ambition and need to prove my intelligence? That got me picked on by bullies, that had me singled out and humiliated by the other kids, and even the nice ones regarded me as this alien life-form.

And I still can't deal with parties, I've been forced to more than a few because of peer pressure, but I didn't grow up in this alcohol culture where kids from like, 14 want to drink and get smashed, and it makes me super uncomfortable and I never have a good time. [I'm sure I'm not the only one ever to feel like that, I'm not saying you need to grow up in Fiji to be like that, I'm just giving an example based on my own background]

So I think that maybe these women might feel something similar to that kind of culture shock. Maybe I'm overthinking the matter and they'll all be overjoyed at the legislation and embrace Australia for freeing them, but I don't think it'll be that simple. You can't take away the burqa and expect the mental attitudes to experience a similar shift. They've grown up thinking it represents their modesty and the value they have as women, I imagine it'd be troubling to lose it, even if part of them might be relieved. And if it's they believe that their religion expects them to be clothed a certain way and they're devoutly religious, then that's another thing that's going to freak them out.

I may not be fond of their cultural or religious beliefs, but shouldn't they have the freedom to practice it as they see fit? Sure, I draw the line at child brides and ritual stonings, but an article of clothing is in a totally different category, especially when it's something they might be attached to themselves, and not forced into. You can call it brainwashing, if you like, but that doesn't change the fact that a lot of them buy into this thing and believe it's vital for their ability to cope with the outside world.

So I guess my position on the whole issue is:

a) Don't ban it because of terrorist concerns. I need more proof that there is a vital threat posed by these women than 'oh, a bomb can be concealed in them'. That goes for many articles of clothing, not to mention backpacks.

And if it's an issue of ascertaining their identity, well, take them aside at the airport or bank and verify their identity in private with a female. It might be irritating, but not that hard to deal with. I don't think you need to ban women from wearing it in public, just going to get groceries or whatever, jeez.

b) Don't ban it because you don't like their religion. If you have an issue with it, that's one thing, but don't deny them the ability to practice their beliefs the way they want. If you really care, IDK, work on changing their self-image, making them want to give up the burqa, make it their choice instead of simply taking it away from them and expecting them to be grateful when you haven't given thought to their state of mind at all.

[Why am I thinking about Dollhouse and the way some fans said that Paul freeing November was just another example of taking her choices away from her and treating her as a child without the capacity to make her own life decisions?]﻿---

Fandom.

Re: the Deathly Hallows movie- please check any fandom!wank at the door.

R/Hr fans get their happy ending in the series but the highlight for the duo is a single kiss- and don’t get me started on how contrived and ridiculous the impetus for that kiss was. HOUSE-ELVES, I ask you. While there are Death Eaters trying to AK their asses! *headdeskwallfloor*

Harmony shippers, otoh, well, their ship is non-canon-compliant but heck, their couple gets some serious action onscreen! What a consolation prize! So Daniel’s nude [AGAIN] and Emma’s stripped down…this is definitely going to fuel a million shipper vids! *g*

And this interview snippet is hilarious. What a hard life Emma leads!

KF: Did you and the other actors know what J.K. Rowling had planned for the seventh book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows? Or were you just as curious as the rest of us?

EW: Well, I was just as curious as everyone else. The only thing J.K. Rowling told me, she told me I would end up having to kiss both Dan [Radcliffe] and Rupert, and I was like, "No way!" This is before I read the last one, so I was like, "Oh, god." Because in the last one, Ron has a vision when he sees Harry and Hermione kissing in his vision, so I'm going to have to do that for the vision. Even though it doesn't actually happen, I still have to do it. I'm going to end up kissing both of them in the last film. Ugh, it's horrible. ﻿-

Shows I just started watching.

Season 2 of True Blood. [Didn't care to sit through season 1]

Can I just say how much I love Jessica?! She's so gorgeous and adorable!

I love the way she's adjusting to being a vampire and how she plays with her abilities, like making that dude shout obsene comments at the top of his lungs, and she collapses into helpless giggles, aww! *squishes*

Also, LMAO at her getting trapped in the coffin. 'Hey, how the hell does this thing open? Someone help get me out of here!' And the coffin's fallen to the ground and bumping and tipping this way and that as she tries to get out. *wipes away tears* Hee!

I know Bill's all buzzkill, 'She can't be one of your girlfriends, she's a vampire, rarr, DANGER' but still, her innocent delight in discovering her new talents and pushing the boundaries with her abilities and with meeting that one special guy, it just makes me melt and fall in love.

Also also and, I really want her romance to work out with that chubby yet endearing tradie guy. I'm so afraid for her, because I don't think it's likely the writers are gonna let her be happy at this early stage- either he'll betray her, or he'll die.

And I don't think it's the former- he seems to genuinely care about her. Like the way he defended her to his mother, that savage satisfaction in telling her, 'The reason why Jessica calls me, all late at night like she does, is because she's a vampire'. He got so angry at his mother's insinuations about her character and took pleasure in enlightening her about Jessica's nature, and I don't think a con man or someone out to use and abuse her would be that emotional about it. Plus, driving all the way with flowers to let her know that he cares about her! D'aww! *squishes them both*

So if he dies, considering he's her first boyfriend ever, it's going to make her wish she was dead for real, and it's going to make me wibble and tear my hair out and smash some windows. Just- warn me if it's coming, okay? I'm a spoiler whore, I need to know in advance to prepare myself. *quivers*

I gotta say, I can see how some fans might consider her to be whiny and annoying, but I find her childish fits to be sympathetic and endearing. This kid got eaten and turned into a vamp against her will and now she's lost her family and everyone and everything she ever knew.

Plus, she's got to obey the guy that frakking killed her and is responsible for turning her life upside down, um, hell yeah, she's going to be a whole lot of trouble!

[This reminds me of The Wounded Guardian, by Duncan Lay, where the main dude killls the little girl's family and then has to take care of her, and his trouble with dealing with all her temper tantrums and demands for playtime with toys and everything, so very well done]

But the thing I like about her is that I get why she acts the way she does. It's not just an attitude she puts on, it's not gratuitous or indulgent, she has understandable issues and she's really very funny in the way she deals with them! She totally pwns Sookie. :P I wish the show was about Jessica and Bill. Their dynamic makes me ROFL, the way she's this stubborn, smart-mouthed teen and he's the old-fashioned, long-suffering parent figure. 'Your bedtime will be at 4 am and not a minute later. And whilst you're under my roof, hunting is completely forbidden'. Hee. ﻿

Also! The award for Most Self-Aware Vampire goes to Bill Compton!

Sookie: I think, deep down, you don’t like vampires, even though you are one. Bill: So? Sookie: Well, hating yourself is a bad thing. Bill: I am a vampire, I am supposed to be tormented.

LMAO, the writers were having too much fun, paying out the vampire cliche there! *gigglefit*-

10 Things I Hate About You

Father: Where have you girls been? It’s late.

Bianca: We were having sex with the soccer team, it took longer than expected.

Father: Funny. Young lady, get back-

Kat: Usually I enjoy this, but let it go. She’s had a tough day, nobody sent her a stinking carnation.

Kat: Don’t get me wrong. She really shouldn’t let someone else’s opinion affect her like this. Who cares if some guy she’s barely met didn’t spend two bucks to buy her a flower? I mean, really, all she knows about this guy is that he’s rumored to be a cannibal.

*father starts and looks at her consideringly*

Kat: Still, when she didn’t get one, it upset her. what’s even more upsetting is that she even let herself care in the first place. She’s so pathetic.

*father smiles knowingly and Kat composes herself*

Kat: Poor Bianca.

Father: I’m going to go tell her that she’s right, no guy should be able to make her doubt how amazing she is, but I’m also going to tell her that part of high school is getting hurt and there’s no way to avoid it, she’s just going to have to learn to pick herself up and move on.

Kat: You should tell her that. She would really appreciate it.

I love this entire scene! Her father is so awesome and supportive and sympathetic, how cool is he?

And the way Kat seems to be talking about Bianca and then does a side-step into her own troubled state of mind, projecting it onto her sister because she can't accept that she let herself get so upset over not getting a stupid carnation from some try-hard she doesn't want to believe she cares for in the slightest...aww!

Then the way they both still pretend they're talking about Bianca, with her father letting her keep her dignity instead of going for the cheap shot while she's vulnerable, and how she lets him know she appreciates it... :D ﻿

It's so rare to have a good father/daughter bond in these shows, it's great. *squishes them*---

Glee flail!

Unexpectedly, I am awash with renewed love for this show. I know I came down hard on it last week, but The Power of Madonna improved matters immensely.

Will! I loathed him so much in last week’s ep, and okay, he’s not entirely out of the doghouse, he should’ve confessed about making out with that other Glee coach instead of keeping it hushed up, but this…

Emma: It felt so good to be close to you in that way, I don’t know why I always freak out like that.

Will: Stop, stop, stop. You don’t need to sleep with me to prove anything. You took ownership of your body on Friday when you told yourself you weren’t ready and then ran out of my apartment with no shoes on.

Emma: They’re my favorites, did you bring them?

Will: I feel bad, Emma. I’ve been working so hard with the guys to start treating the girls with more respect and I haven’t been walking the walk. I never should’ve agreed to have you come over that night.

Emma: I did kind of throw myself at you.

Will: That is the point. We’re falling into a pattern. We need to institute an official no-dating policy until my divorce is final.

Emma: When will that be?

Will: I filed today, so that’s a start. But while we’re waiting, I want you to get some help for your problems. We need to take action here, they won’t go away unless we do. Now our health union covers counseling, they’ll come to the school, meet you in your office, whatever you need. And *produces shoes* I polished them myself.

Okay, when he brought up her problems, I took my cue from her. I was ready to be offended on her behalf at how bluntly he put it, but she appeared touched at the gesture. And I saw it from her POV as a really kind and caring thing to do- the other guys she may have tried out relationships with, they all bailed on her sooner or later, because they couldn't deal with her issues. And here's Will who knows what he's getting into, who's aware what a basket case she is, and still wants to be with her. Rather than running from her weirdness, he's committed to helping her work it out. I really like that.

Plus, he's not saying 'You're a freak, I need you to conform to be my image of an ideal partner', because look at how thoughtful he was, bringing her shoes back, all clean and polished! That did a great deal to redeem in my eyes, being that thoughtful and affectionate towards her.

What It Feels Like For a Girl I love this song! I don’t know why, it’s nothing that special, but the chorus hooks me in, it’s so catchy and appealing and the way the guys sang it was brilliant. *squishes them all*

Kurt: This time shouldn’t work but it does because we respect each other’s talent. And if we want to take it to the next level, we have to start respecting each other as individuals, really see each other. Why were you singing with us, Mr Schue?

Will: Because apparently I need to learn that lesson.

*bounces* Finally! I can hate him less, because he's aware that he messed up, that he's at fault! It's characters that are self-deluded and act like they did nothing wrong that I hate the most, but when they admit they were wrong and try to rectify their mistake...I'm a sucker for that kind of thing. :P

Also, Finn’s not perfect, he made this comment to Rachel about how he never thought they’d lie to each other when she pretended not to be going out with Jesse, but then he lied about not hooking up with Santana, when it’s implied they did sleep together.

Still, this conversation went a long way to redeeming him as well.

Rachel: If you’re going to criticize and mock me again about Jesse, you can can it. Finn: I wanted to apologize. The only reason you were even dating Jesse was because I was such an ass. Mr Tough Guy and all that. I really liked you. And I could have had you, but I blew it.

Rachel: You really liked me.

Jesse: Okay, Finn. I know we have a big showdown coming so let’s just decide on the arena. Sing-off, the parking lot, 5 o’clock, be there.

Rachel: No!

Finn: Welcome to New Directions. Frankly, I need you, I’m tired of carrying the male vocals all by myself.

*shakes hands*

Finn: I’ll do my best to stay away from your girl.

Jesse: I appreciate that. She’s a keeper.

Finn: Walk with me to the auditorium. I put together a new Madonna number, I’ll talk you through it on the way.

Jesse: Sweet.

*they walk off together*

I don't know how long that's going to last, but it makes me sympathetic towards Finn. Someone who's actively trying to sabotage another relationship and steal a partner, I loathe. They're selfish, thinking only of what joy that person could bring to their lives instead of what's best for the other person.

But this guy, who's willing to be the better man, who will apologize to Rachel and repair the damage he inflicted on her self-esteem without expecting anything in return, who welcomes her new boyfriend and extends an olive branch to him...this is a kid I really like. *squishes him* A lot of times, I'll see characters pull this routine when they're trying to gain points and get the other person to fall into their arms, and then get nasty if it doesn't happen, or are all smarmy and smug if it does. But he was totally sincere and I love this scene, because that's the way you show someone you care about them, when their happiness is more important than getting what you want. AWESOME.﻿PS. Damn picture, with its Rachel/Will vibes! Stop trying to make me ship them, universe! Your evil plot is doomed to fail! *flees*---

Meme.

*Snurched from weird_fin:

Fill in the blank with analogies describing our relationship. (ie., 'you're the pb to my j' or 'you're the yellow to my blue')

You're the ____ to my ___.

*Snurched from sunkrux:

Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching.

Fringe!

I am so in love with this show! It has intelligent, fascinating plots [I know, me watching for plot, ridiculous, right?! But it's true!] and charismatic, talented actors that breathe life into these wonderful, interesting, compelling characters [especially Walter, with his bizarre remarks and quirky foibles, hee].

And omg, it treats the audience like smart people, dropping little clues to allow us to develop theories about what's going on, hints about what happened to Olivia in her childhood, what happened to Peter in his childhood. They created a trail of breadcrumbs but weren't cruel and keeping us hanging for seasons on end, oh no! TPTB here think we deserve some reward for the time and emotional investment we make in the show. The last few episodes of the second season have just blown my mind, it is absolutely brilliant what they've been doing, the payoff in that resolution of the arc they built is so emotional and heart-wrenching and perfect.

And I cannot tell you how much I love Nina. The way she's her own person, this full-developed, three-dimensional character with her own agenda and motives. So many times, we get cardboard cut-outs as the plot dictates [someone for the protagonist to clash with, someone to provide them with assistance, blah blah blah], bland paper-dolls that prop up the storyline but not Nina! You could take away Olivia and the others and she would still exist in her own world, complete with a history and goals in life separate from providing a foil for the main characters, it's awesome.---

Ha, I'd use it on the streets only I'm so unco. *facepalm* I'd get the wires caught up in something and hopelessly tangled up and the earbuds would fall out of my ear after a few steps...yeah, I don't know how normal people manage to walk, let alone jog, with their mp3s but it's a skill I've not mastered.

I almost faint after about one drink

Wow! That's low tolerance all right!

*pouts* If it happens, I'm not sure what's going on now... *sighs* Story of my life, I keep getting let down by people I think are my friends.